Udaipur violence: Accused student’s house on ‘forest land’ bulldozed

Udaipur, August 17 (IANS): The Udaipur Municipal Corporation on Saturday razed the house of a Class X student to the ground. He is accused of attacking his classmate with a knife on Friday, triggering violence in the city.

The house, which is reportedly built on forest land, was vacated and electricity connection was also disconnected before the demolition process began, officials said. The demolition drive began around 12 noon after the Municipal Corporation and the Forest Department pasted a notice on the house.

Forest Department officials said the house was built illegally on land owned by the department. According to civic officials, there were three rooms, a kitchen and a shop in the basement, which were demolished. The entire driveway was monitored by drones.

According to sources at the Forestry Department, a notice was sent six months ago to remove the ‘encroachment’, but the family did not comply.

Violence broke out in the city on Friday after a class X student was attacked with a knife by his classmate at a government school. Nearly half a dozen cars were set on fire by an angry mob, while incidents of stone-pelting were also reported from certain parts of the city.

According to reports, the students came from different communities, leading to tensions in the city.

Following the arson attacks, a large police force was deployed and had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the unruly crowd in some parts of the city. Prohibitory orders were also imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha (BNSS).

District Education Officer Lokesh Bharti confirmed that two classmates, both 15, at a government school in Bhatiyani Chauhatta area got into a fight during recess, with one student stabbing the other in the thigh with a knife.

Meanwhile, doctors at the MB Hospital confirmed on Saturday that the injured student’s condition is stable.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has sent a team of specialist doctors to Udaipur to treat the injured student. The team includes a neurologist, a neurosurgeon, a nephrologist and other specialists.